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Apple shows off iOS 8 Health app & HealthKit platform
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Wearables, Corporate News, Handhelds, Software,
As rumored, Apple has announced its iOS 8 health initiative during the WWDC 2014 keynote. The new Health app will work with a developer API bundle called HealthKit. In iOS 8, apps will be able to report your health data to a centralized location, allowing you to see all the information and stats from different apps all in the same area. Further, you'll be able to choose if you'd like to share health data from one app to another.
Apple announced that Nike and the Mayo Clinic are two of the first to be working on HealthKit integration, while also picturing a Withings blood pressure monitor. Not much more has been announced about the new Health app for iOS 8 yet, but we're sure we will hear more about it closer to the release of iOS 8 release.
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Beats Solo2 headphones: Redesigned for better sound and comfort
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Wearables, Design, Music,
Hot on the heels of the announcement that Apple is buying Beats, the company has announced the brand new Beats Solo2 on-ear headphones, the latest in the Beats by Dr. Dre line. Touting a newly-refreshed physical design alongside improved sound quality, Beats Electronics says that the new Solo2 model will offer “a wider range of sound and enhanced clarity.” It's a good thing, too, as many have complained about the Beats by Dr. Dre line having bass-heavy sound that loses the highs and mids.
If wearing previous models of Beats headphones was something you found to be a chore, you should know that the Beats Solo2 has also been redesigned with a new look that's said to also be more comfortable thanks to better weight distribution and a memory foam-like material in the larger ear cups that should make them feel cooler and put less of a hard squeeze on your ear lobes.
You can pick up the new Beats Solo2 now. They're available in pink, grey, white, blue, and red for $199.
Read More 
| Beats Solo2 Heaadphones
Google Glass sales now open to the public, still $1500
Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Wearables, Google,
Google wants you to get them while they are hot. Google Glass has made its public premiere, but the company warns that its inventory is limited. When it opened a preliminary sale last month Google burned through the overwhelming majority of its Glass inventory in a single day and were forced to close up shop.
Since then Google has been building up its supply of the long-anticipated gadget. And as of Wednesday morning, they have announced open season on the Google Glass Explorer edition. It's still in the beta, but Google wants this to be its open test, as they announced via company blog this morning.
The Explorer carries a pretty heavy price tag: $1,500 in its current form. It's certainly outside of my range, so it looks like I won't be getting one just yet. Google says it plans a more widespread release of the Glass later this year. If that's the case, we're curious if the price will stay the same, and if not, how the company will handle the unhappiness of those who may have paid much more.
Want your own pair right now? Hit the link below!
Read More | Google Glass
Taser-proof your clothes with carbon fiber
Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Wearables, Mods / Hacks, Science,
Remember the scene in Batman Begins where Christian Bale takes a taser directly to his bat armor and doesn't flinch? If you found that pretty cool then get excited, because this same borderline-superhuman ability can be yours. Hackaday user Shenzhen claims to have developed a way to make stun gun-proof clothing.
You won't look as intimidating as the Batman but you can get away with more style since just about any piece of clothing can be converted into high tech shock-armor. You just need a layer of carbon fiber, and that's widely available, given that it is commonly used in upholstery fabric at under $20 per yard.
Click to continue reading Taser-proof your clothes with carbon fiber
Microsoft files its own smart watch patent
Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Wearables, Corporate News, Microsoft,
With the smartphone being a huge success, companies like Samsung and Sony got the idea to make it smaller and wrist mounted, creating the Galaxy Gear and Sony Smartwatch lines respectively. Now Microsoft has decided to muscle into the game, registering its patents with the U.S. Government this week.
The application filed with the patent office describes the wearable as a music player, phone, message device, and fitness measuring device. The watchface would be detachable from the wristband so that it can be connected to a charging port.
The features described are still speculation, and no date has been stated for release. Microsoft is up against competition from Samsung, who released their product last year, Motorola, which plans to release the Moto 360 in July, and Pebble, which has already sold over 400,000 units.
Tzukuri Eyewear makes losing sunglasses a lot harder with iBeacons
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Wearables, Wireless / WiFi,
Sunglasses are one of the items that are easy to leave behind and lose, and Tzukuri Eyewear is looking to make that problem a thing of the past by using iBeacon technology. Imagine, if you will, a pair of shades with an iBeacon embedded into its frame that your iPhone connects to and is aware of. Since the iPhone can tell the distance of the beacon signal, you get a notification letting you know that you left your sunglasses behind. You can see just how far away from you they are as long as you are still in range of the iBeacon signal. Pretty cool, right?
The Tzukuri Eyewear models of sunglasses are made using 3D analysis so that they look good on more faces than the average pair. They have six designs in three sizes, each of which is handcrafted in Japan and incorporate high-quality anti-scratch, polarized lenses with 100% UV protection.
Unboxing Live 130: Fitbit Force
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Videocasts, Wearables,
The Fitbit Force is, in my opinion, the best FitBit to date. All the power of the Fitbit One, but strapped to your wrist with a nice OLED display (unlike the Fitbit Flex.) The Fitbit One is a great fitness tracker, but it's small enough to lose easily. Having the Fitbit Force on your wrist is just super convenient. The battery lasts over a week as well. We give you a look at the package and what's included with the Fitbit Force in this episode.
You can pick up the Fitbit Force now.
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Click to continue reading Unboxing Live 130: Fitbit Force
Bleeding Edge TV 493: SCOTTeVEST Tropiformer Review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Features, Podcasts, Videocasts, Videos,
In this episode I review the SCOTTeVEST Tropiformer Jacket, a collaboration between SCOTTeVEST and ThinkGeek, and we think it holds up great for multi-seasonal travel. SCOTTeVEST is known for making Technology Enabled Clothing that allows you to carry pretty much all of your gadgets, including tablets and even a laptop if you want to, right in your jacket, thanks to the myriad of pockets they include in their garments. In the case of the Tropiformer, that's 22 pockets, including a pocket specifically for your smartphone that allows you to use the phone right through the pocket. The sleeves on the Tropiformer are also easily removed and replaced, thanks to an ingenious magnet system.
You can pick up the SCOTTeVEST Tropiformer now from ThinkGeek.
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Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 493: SCOTTeVEST Tropiformer Review
Samsung Galaxy Gear: A 1.63-inch AMOLED smartwatch launching with 70 apps for $299
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Corporate News,
Samsung is the first major company to release a smartwatch, revealing the Galaxy Gear during today's Unpacked event. The rumor mill was quite a ways off from what was presented today. The Gear sports a 1.63-inch 320 x 320 Super AMOLED display, with a 1.9-megapixel BSI auto-focus camera on the outside wrist strap (used to capture low-resolution images and 10-second video clips at 720p,) and a speaker on the inner wrist strap.
Galaxy Gear is also a platform unto itself, and it will have 70 apps on deck for launch, including familiar names like RunKeeper, Path, Evernote, TripIt, MyFitnessPal, eBay, and many others. That sounds great, but the device will ship with limited smartphone and tablet compatibility, working with only the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 at launch, although Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S III integration will be coming in October. With a compatible device, the Galaxy Gear will be your companion, allowing you access to Find My Device, S Voice, pedometer, call answering, and more.
Pebble Smart Watch comes to Best Buy on July 7 for $150
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Wearables, Wireless / WiFi,
The Pebble Smart Watch was a Kickstarter sensation that is still struggling to fulfill the orders of its initial backers, but that's not stopping the device from launching in Best Buy in just a few days. Initially you'll be able to get the e-ink display-powered Pebble in Jet Black at Best Buy while the company works to get the other colors into the hands of those who pre-ordered the device. Once those are fulfilled, you can expect to see other colors hit Best Buy as well. In fact, the Cherry Red model will hit store shelves in August.
Now is the time for the Pebble Smart Watch to try and get some attention on a larger stage, and Best Buy may be the place to do that. If you're unfamiliar, the Pebble connects to your iPhone or Android device and allows you to interact with it from your wrist. I have one, and it's convenient to see my messages, texts, and notifications pop-up on the Pebble without having to check my phone. I can also control apps like Music and Runkeeper right from my wrist as well. With Apple and Google expected to announce smart watches of their own sometime soon, some might argue that time is running out for Pebble to make an impact and fain traction. The Best Buy deal should help. You'll be able to order the Pebble from Best Buy for $149.95.
Click to continue reading Pebble Smart Watch comes to Best Buy on July 7 for $150
Read More | Pebble Best Buy Page
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